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Artifact Collection > Teaching Tools

ARTIFACT OF THE MONTH
AUSTIN PRODUCTIONS DARWIN MONKEY STATUE



Donation Details
​

MOTAL’s rare 1962 Austin Productions statue depicts an ape sitting atop a stack of books.  The statue was donated by Harold Horn in 2008.  Harold  was a founding supporter for MOTAL. 


Picture
Picture
​History
​

The ape is positioned in a pose inspired by The Thinker, a bronze statue created by French artist Auguste Rodin in the late 1800s.  The Thinker  shows a large, male figure sitting on a rock with his chin resting on his hand in a “thinking” position. This statue is commonly associated with philosophy, intellect, and poetry. The Thinker is very large in size and has been recreated in a multitude of ways, including the statue of the ape. Throughout the world, dozens of bronze castings of Rodin’s original work hold a place in museums and public places as a symbol of education and intelligence. 
MOTAL’s Austin Productions statue is a smaller, significantly altered version of The Thinker that depicts an ape holding a human skull and sitting on a book labeled “Darwin”. The ape appears to be contemplating Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, and his own involvement in that evolution by analyzing the human skull. 
Picture
Very little information can be found on the origin of Austin Productions and their statues. The company began in Brooklyn, New York in the 1950s by manufacturing imitations of classical Egyptian, Greek, and Roman sculptures for mass consumption. Austin sculptures allowed for world-renowned, classical works of art to influence the average home as scaled-down furnishings and decorations available for purchase. Despite the level of mass production, Austin Productions statues developed a reputation for their high-quality reproductions, especially those made of bronze like the Darwin Monkey Statue. The company retired its entire line and ceased production in 2009, leading to a rise in value of the collectible statues. MOTAL’s Darwin Monkey Statue is thought provoking, interesting, and keeps us thinking about the past, present, AND future of education. 
Learn More!
  • https://www.rainydayrevival.com/product/darwin-monkey-statue-by-austin-productions-1962-/679
  • https://www.reference.com/world-view/austin-sculptures-9a8641c707f50241
  • http://www.austinsculpture.co.uk/discontinued.cfm
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  • Home
  • MOTAL Articles
  • Artifacts
    • Artifact of the Month
    • Artifact Group and Index
  • Exhibitions
    • Two Roads, One Journey >
      • Objectives
      • Our Audience
      • The Experience
      • Exhibition Floor Plan
      • Venues
      • Creative Team
    • Traveling Exhibitions >
      • Two Roads, One Journey
      • A Class Action >
        • Exhibition Design
        • Exhibition Layout
        • Manuscript and Photographs
        • Artifacts
        • Recordings and Documentary
        • Docent Support
        • Classroom Materials
        • Suggested Events
        • Marketing Materials
        • Venues
        • What People Are Saying
        • Acknowledgements
      • Memories of Mexican Schools Listening Station
    • Past Exhibitions >
      • A Class Action Original Exhibition >
        • The Case
        • Exhibition Committee
        • Partners and Sponsors
      • Memories of Mexican Schools
      • Horace Mann
      • Maria Montessori
    • Dream Exhibitions >
      • Brain Exhibition
      • Learning Disabilities
      • Global Classrooms
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • Programs
    • Artifact Collection
    • Artifact Group and Index
    • Learn
    • Bookshop
    • Resources
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • About MOTAL
    • Our History
  • Donate
  • Membership
  • Volunteer
  • Board Members
  • Behind the Scenes